By the time Ben Roethlisberger returns, the Steelers (6-4) could be fighting for their playoff lives. Nothing will come easy for the Steelers offensively without Roethlisberger. Not wins. Not points. Not first downs.

A tough remainder of November awaits the Steelers, in the aftermath of Sunday night’s 13-10 loss to Baltimore. The Ravens (8-2) control the AFC North with a two-game lead. Meanwhile, the Steelers have serious issues offensively without Roethlisberger (rib, shoulder injuries), who could be out another two or three weeks.

That’s plenty of time for the Steelers to go into a nosedive. Sunday night’s performance was not very reassuring.

“We just couldn’t get our rhythm,” said Byron Leftwich, who struggled replacing Roethlisberger at quarterback.

“I felt good the whole time. I was seeing the field well. At no point did I feel rusty at all. I felt like I was ready to help my team make plays. We just didn’t make enough of them.”

The Steelers’ backup quarterback situation could become a liability in the pursuit of a playoff berth. This was Leftwich’s first start since 2009, so it was hardly surprising that he struggled (18-of-39, 201 yards, one interception, three sacks).

If coach Mike Tomlin benches Leftwich at some point and turns to Charlie Batch, that may not work, either. Batch will turn 38 on December 5, and there is no guarantee he will be effective if pressed into service.

Life without Roethlisberger could be rough in Pittsburgh. On the surface, Sunday’s game looked like a typical Ravens-Steelers matchup. Hard hitting. Low scoring. Close outcome.

But in reality, the Steelers missed a golden opportunity. Their defense played extremely well, containing Ravens running back Ray Rice (40 yards on 20 carries) and harassing Joe Flacco (20-of-32, 164 yards, two sacks, no touchdowns).

However, the Steelers simply could not generate enough offense. Their lone touchdown came on their most improbable play—a 31-yard touchdown run by Leftwich, one of the league’s slowest quarterbacks. Somehow, Leftwich rumbled downfield, split a pair of Ravens defenders and ambled into the end zone.

Smiling a little bit, Leftwich said he was not surprised to score on that play.

“I joke with my teammates all the time,” Leftwich said. “I am not a slow quarterback. I’m just the slowest black quarterback. I can move around just as good as any of these other pocket passers in this league. I didn’t surprise myself.”

But after Leftwich’s touchdown, the Steelers’ offense fizzled. The Ravens are not as good at stopping the run as they have been in years past. But without the fear of facing Roethlisberger, the Ravens did more blitzing, put more defenders in the box and kept Jonathan Dwyer (55 yards) and Rashard Mendenhall (33 yards) from taking making consistent yards on the ground.

“Whenever he’s not out there, it’s going to be a blow to us, because he’s definitely a great quarterback,” Wallace said. “We still have to find a way to win football games without him out there.

“Our defense played lights out. Our offense? We didn’t help them. We did a little bit on the first drive, but after that we were dead. Everybody has to step up. You don’t have to be a superhero. You just have to do your job.”

Leftwich took some bone-jarring shots in the pocket but insisted after the game that he was not injured. Tomlin said he did not seriously consider playing Batch, although Batch was warming up in the fourth quarter.

Asked how he felt after the game, Leftwich said, “I’m Ok.”

The same could not be said about the Steelers. They visit the Browns next week, followed by a rematch with the Ravens in Week 13 at Baltimore. Without Roethlisberger, Tomlin and offensive coordinator Todd Haley face the challenge of trying to devise a game plan that brings out Leftwich’s best.

It will not be easy. Leftwich missed some throws. The Steelers wasted timeouts. The absence of wide receiver Antonio Brown (ankle) didn’t help.

The Bengals (5-5) have won two straight and are in close pursuit of the Steelers. The Colts (6-4) have been a surprise, but they have rookie sensation Andrew Luck at quarterback and a favorable schedule down the stretch.

The Steelers know Roethlisberger will return as quickly as he can, but in the meantime, their season will go on. Before Roethlisberger was injured, the Steelers were building momentum. Without Roethlisberger, the Steelers are looking for answers. And they will not be found easily.